Wednesday, 19 May 2010

ValhallahanI’ve been reading New Avengers since Action Ash was in nappies, “but it’s only been running 6 years!” I hear you cry. Yes, Action Ash has issues.

I liked Chaos/Disassembled and was a big fan of New Avenger when it came out, I loved the banter and the intrigue. I gave up on NA around the time it was being drawn by the eminently average Billy Tan and consisted solely of crossover tie-ins and underwhelming fights with the Hood and his Handbook of the Marvel Universe army of Goons.

Well this series certainly ends as it became. In Finale, we’re treated to a pointless fight with the Hood that ties into Siege. Great. At least the art’s a darned sight better than Mr Tan. We have Bryan “Ultimates” Hitch giving us Ultimates-Lite. Now on his worst day, Hitch draws rings around his peers (literally - it’s a mental health issue) and this isn’t his finest hour, but is still head and shoulders above competitors, and several stories above Billy Tan. His Wolverine does look like a sex-offender though.

Action AshAlthough a lifelong Marvel fan I had never actually bought an Avengers comic until New Avengers #51 (I know, weird right?). I've loved the series, and to Val's disgust, I liked Billy Tan's art. Maybe not enough shadows, noir and misery for him? Maybe if Luke Cage got depressed went on a drinking binge and tried to solve a murder he'd of enjoyed "what it became"?Anyway the Finale issue is, I agree, pointless, but it's fun. Some super heroics and cheesy dialogue about superhero camaraderie.The artwork is alright. I'm not a massive Hitch fan but I know he can do better than this. His Ultimates stuff reigns on this.All in all I think a nice little ending to the run